IndiGenius Fest is a native wisdom and natural living festival.
The festival will be bringing together different sustainable practices from
India to one platform. There will be live sharing by modern masters in these
multiple arts, crafts and natural living practices with three days of
workshops. Beside the workshops, one can also enjoy live musical performances
and interesting food stalls.
Some of the workshops are free for the participants and on gift
donation basis for the paid workshops and one can directly register at the
venue. On May 31, the day will begin with a Kiln-making workshop and a Kolam
workshop and in the evening, one can learn how to make yummy handmade
ice-creams at home. Prof Prajal Sakhardande, History Professor at Dhempo
College of Arts and Science, Miramar, will be talking about his new book, ‘Goa
Gold Goa Silver Her History Her Heritage’ with a presentation and he will also
be signing copies of the book. The day will wind up with a session of live
music.
June 1, 2019, will teach participates about Vegan recipes and
probiotics at a workshop by Shailendar and the second half of the day will be
workshops on Lime making and compost toilet followed by live music.
The concluding day of the fest, June 2, 2019, will include a
continuation of the session on vegan recipes and probiotics by Shailendar, soap
making and enzyme workshop and a live music session in the evening. Four
workshops – Natural Dyeing- Color Ashram, Prasari Honey, Handloom weaving by
Damji Wankar, President awardee traditional handloom weaver from Kutch and
Leather puppetry making workshop by Chetan will be held from May 31 to June 2,
2019 from 11am to 10pm.
Sachin Desai is the brains behind Syamantak University of Life,
a centre for sustainable living and open learning. He explains what he is
trying to achieve through Syamantak University of Life: “We are running a
community university teaching about indigenous technology based on Nai Talim, a
principle of education by Mahatma Gandhi. We also organise five-day stays in
the remotest villages in the Western Ghats to learn about different arts. When
I met Deeksha Thind, we both shared the same thoughts and decided to start a
similar event in Goa. Saraya itself is a village in a city and the right venue
for the festival.”
Syamantak
University of Life will be setting up stalls with handmade natural ice-cream
from wood apple and jackfruits and will also conduct workshops on handmade
soaps, multipurpose eco-enzyme, kiln and lime making from tisreo shells. “Goa
is the most ideal destination in India because being a young tourism hub and
the ill effects of modernity, Goa has still kept its roots of culture and
tradition intact. Things are changing but it is time to rethink what should be
done. India was not an agrarian country as it is often perceived as; it was an
industrial country as every house was industrious and could sustain itself. In
Goa, lime making from tisreos is a local technology. In Malvan, the Shivaji
Fort was built using this technology, which is amazing and now, when our students
went to learn the art, there was only one 75-year-old artist who knew about
this dying wisdom and technology. If we can educate at least 1-2 youth, it can
turn into sustainable technology,” adds Sachin, who plans to continue with the
festival every year in Goa.